Means for playing games of patience

ABSTRACT

A game of patience including two coaxial mutually facing recesses rotatable about a common axis relative to one another including rings or disks comprising elements mounted therein. At lease one relative position of the rings or disks in relation to one another two opposite rebates jointly define accommodation for a pair of elements having two elements. The pair of elements is rotatable by at least one operating means to transfer the elements respectively into the other ring or disk.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Means for playing games of patience are known and have been described,for example, in German Patent Reference DE 38 21 297. In that case, thegame of patience comprises two mutually rotatable half shells, mountedon a common axis. Each half shell comprises four clipped in segments,which may be of different colors and which carry at both ends differentinformation symbols. Each half shell has four semi-circular apertures ineach of which two rotary segments are mounted pivotally as quartersegments. When turning the half shell, the former may engage in such amanner that the rotary segments of both half shells occupy the sameposition. Thereby, it is possible to turn the rotary segments from onehalf shell into the other. This results in an engagement position of therotary segments, permitting turning of the half shells. Turning of thehalf shells causes two rotary segments at a time to be displaced by 90°or a multiple thereof. The rotary segments carry different informationcontents, giving rise to a plurality of combination possibilities. It isa disadvantage of such known game of patience that each rotary segmentmust be operated individually, as a result, the game of patience can besolved with minimal mental effort.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Based on the aforesaid state of the art, it is an object of thisinvention to create a means for playing a game of patience, providingfor degrees of difficulty to be adjusted according to requirements, suchthat many play variations are attainable, which can only be solved witha high degree of mental effort.

The stated object is attained with a game of patience having two coaxialrecesses rotatable relative to one another about a common axis withrings or disks having elements supported therein, wherein in at leastone relative position of the rings or disks relative to one another twomutually opposing recesses together accommodate a pair of elements. Theelements can be rotated whereby the elements are transferred into arespective ring or disk.

The crux of this invention relates to the two disks or rings withrecesses into which the elements can be inserted and can be rotatedabout radial axes and can thereby be transferred from one ring to theother. The degree of difficulty of the game of patience of thisinvention depends on one hand on the number of pairs of elements and onthe other hand on how many pairs of elements can be rotatedsimultaneously relative to one another. A further feature of the game ofpatience of this invention resides in that no indication is given howmany steps have already been performed in order to progress from thestarting position to the finished position.

The game of patience is so operated that the mutually rotatable ringsare always so turned that two elements at a time form a pair of elementsthat co-act with the operating means. When operating the game ofpatience, a desired number of element pairs may be mutually rotateddepending on requirements, more particularly by 180°. This causes theelement provided in one ring to be transported into the second ring,while the element accommodated in the second ring is transferred intothe first ring. As the number of simultaneously rotatable element pairsis increased, the degree of difficulty of the game of patience isincreased. Simple conversion of the operating means determines how manyelement pairs will be rotated by the operating means. In doing so theuser may operate the operating means with his thumb.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of the invention is diagrammatically illustratedin the drawing, and will be further explained, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows an apparatus for playing a game of patience in perspectiveside view;

FIG. 2 shows the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 in vertical plan view;

FIG. 3 shows a section taken along the line III--III shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a part of the operating means and the upper ring, inperspective side view;

FIG. 5 shows the essential parts of the operating means in an explodedperspective view; and

FIG. 6 shows a part of the means for playing a game of patienceillustrated in FIG. 1 in a partial cross-sectional exploded perspectiveview.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the drawings a means for playing a game of patience is shown,comprising two coaxial recesses 12, 14 facing each other and rotatableabout a common axis 10, carrying rings 20 and 22 having elements 16, 18mounted therein. In a plurality of relative positions of the rings 20and 22, two mutually opposing and coaxial recesses 12 and 14 define apair of elements 16, 18, each comprising two elements 16 and 18, suchpair being rotatable by the operating means 24, whereby the elements 16and 18 are transferred into the respective other ring 20 and 22. Eachring 20 and 22 has eight recesses 12 and 14 uniformly distributed aboutthe axis 10. All of the rings are identically designed so that the rings20 and 22 are interchangeable within the means for playing the game ofpatience.

The operating means 24 comprise a manually operated body 26 co-actingwith one or more coupling members 28. The coupling members 28 areprovided coaxially to the pairs of elements 16, 18 and are rotatableabout the same axes 32, 34 and 36. Furthermore the drawings indicatethat the elements 16 and 18, being of the same shapes, are radiallyarranged and comprise means 30 which co-act with the operating body 26and which have the form of projections, and are rotatable about the axis32, 34 and 36. The operating body 26 is adjustable along a direction ofthe axis 10, is essentially block shaped and comprises in its externalwall four axially directed recesses 72 of rectangular cross-section,into each of which a tooth rack 40 with teeth 42 can be inserted. Inthis context the tooth racks 40 can occupy active and inactiveoperational positions. The position of the tooth rack 40 denoted in FIG.5 as A represents its active operating position whereas the positiondenoted by B of the tooth rack 40 which is accommodated in the recess 72represents an inactive operating position. The tooth racks 40 have asubstantially L-shaped profile and in their active state are supportedagainst the vertically extending outer edges of the basic body 44. Inthis context the teeth 42 are provided outside of the associatedrecesses 72 while in the inactive operating state (position B) they areaccommodated inside the recess 72. The tooth rack 40 is carried alongwhen the operating body 26 is moved and engages with the correspondingpinion 38 of the coupling member 28.

The operating means 24 comprises a catch 56, and co-acting member 60 andthe operating body 26 accommodated inside thereof. The catch 56 as wellas the co-acting member 60 each comprise a recess 58 and 62,respectively, connected in communication with one another inside whichthe operating body 26 is accommodated. The axial length of the operatingbody 26 is less than the inside height of the aperture formed in andpassing through the operating means 24. The operating body 26 comprises,as shown in FIG. 3, the basic body 44 which in its lower regioncomprises a circular and disk shaped head 43, whereas its opposite endcomprises a threaded passage 70 into which a closure screw 64 having athread 66 may be screwed. For ease of operation of the closure screw 64a transversely extending slot 68 is formed such that the closure screw64 can be operated by means of a screwdriver, for example. Theessentially block shaped basic body 44 is operationally connectable tothe four tooth racks 40 which can occupy an active operating position(position A) and an inactive operating position (position B). Thelongitudinally extending inner edge of the two limbs of the tooth rack40 for this purpose is supported against one of the longitudinallyextending outer edges of the basic body 26. In the inactive state on theother hand (see position B) the longer one of the limbs, comprising theteeth 42, is completely accommodated inside the recess 72, such that itcannot co-operate with any pinion 38 of the coupling member 28. In theoperating position of the means for playing a game of patience accordingto this invention, the basic body 26 carries at least one tooth rack 40;however, it is also possible for two, three or four tooth racks 40 to beprovided. Of course it is also possible to design the basic body 26 asan elongated body having the cross-section of an equilateral polygonhaving a plurality of sides. By the number of the tooth racks 40 and thenumber of simultaneously actuateable pairs of elements 16, 18 the degreeof difficulty of the game of patience is increased. It is up to the userto modify the degree of difficulty of the game of patience by fittingthe basic body 26 with an appropriate number of tooth racks 40.

The element pairs 16, 18 (see in particular FIG. 3, 5, 6) each define acommon means 30 in the form of a mounting pin 52 with a lug 29. In theoperating state of the game of patience the common lug 29 is in activeengagement with the groove 39 which in turn forms part of the couplingmember 28. Along the axis 34 and the opposite side of the hemisphericalelements 16 and 18 mounting pins 54 are provided which are mounted inbearing recesses 17 (see FIG. 6) whereas the bearing pins 52 are mountedin bearing recesses 15. As will be seen in particular in FIG. 6, thering 22 comprises an external collar 27 in which the bearing recesses 17are formed and an inner collar 13 in which the bearing rebates 15 areformed.

The coupling members 28 are mounted in bearing recesses 41 of the catch56 and the co-acting member 60. In order to prevent axial displacementof the coupling member 28 it comprises a flange 31 which is mounted in agroove (not shown) of the catch 56 and the co-acting member 60. Theco-acting member 60 (see FIG. 6) further comprises recesses 49 forspring elements 47 and catch projections 50 which are adapted to engageinto recesses 48 of complementary shape in a pressure ring 46. Thespring loaded pressure ring 46 serves to permit the reliable setting ofthe individual operating positions of the game of patience according tothis invention.

In the assembled condition of the means for playing the game of patienceof this invention and in its starting position (see FIGS. 1 and 3) tworecesses 12 and 14 co-act to form a common recess for a pair of elements16, 18. For that purpose the operating body 26 is in one of its twoterminal positions such that the grooves 39 of the coupling member 28lie in the plane 6 of rotation. The rings 20 and 22 may be turnedmutually in the direction of the double arrow (see FIG. 1), moreparticularly in such a manner that the upper elements 18 becomeassociated with new elements 16. New recesses are thereby formed by newelements 16 positioned in recesses 12. If the operating body 24 is nowdisplaced, e.g., from its lower position illustrated in FIG. 3, upwardlyin the direction of the double arrow 8, those coupling members 28 whichco-act with tooth racks 40 will be rotated by 180°, whereby the upperelements 18 are transferred into the lower ring 22 and the lowerelements 16 are transferred into the upper ring 20. This causes theelement pairs 16, 18 to revolve about the axes 32, 34 and 36. The rings20 and 22 may now once again be rotated in relation to one another sothat new element pairs 16, 18 are defined, and the adjustment procedureof the operating means 26 is repeated. The game of patience illustratedin FIGS. 1 to 6 comprises altogether eight element pairs 16, 18 eachdefining a sphere, all elements 16, 18 being of identical geometry,although only two elements 16, 18 at a time are of identical appearance(they may have the same color, for example). Thus, the game of patienceprovides in the starting position eight spheres (element pairs 16, 18)which differ, however, only in color. By rotating the rings 20 and 22relative to one another and displacing the operating means, 26 new colorcombinations of pairs of elements 16, 18 are attained such that e.g.,the upper element is red whereas the lower element of an element pair16, 18 is green. It is thus the given tasks to operate the elements 16and 18 in such a manner that they resume their original positions.

The means for playing the game of patience is preferably constructed ofinjection molded plastics.

I claim:
 1. A game of patience comprising: two rings (20, 22) formingtwo coaxial mutually facing recesses (12, 14) rotatable relative to oneanother about a common axis (10), the rings (20, 22) having two elements(16, 18) supported within the recesses (12, 14), in at least onerelative position of the rings (20, 22) two of the mutually opposingrecesses (12, 14) are aligned with one another and accommodate a pair ofthe elements (16, 18), operating means (24) for rotating the elements(16, 18) relative to one another whereby the elements (16, 18) aretransferred respectively into the other ring, and the operating means(24) comprising a manually operable operating body (26) whichco-operates with a coupling member (28) adapted for engagement with atleast one pair of the elements (16, 18).
 2. A game of patience accordingto claim 1 wherein the rings (20, 22) each comprise at least three ofthe recesses (12, 14).
 3. A game of patience according to claim 2wherein mutually facing sides of the rings (20, 22) are planar andoperatively interconnectable.
 4. A game of patience according to claim 3wherein the operating means (24) comprise a manually operable operatingbody (26) which co-operates with a coupling member (28) adapted forengagement with at least one pair of the elements (16, 18).
 5. A game ofpatience according to claim 4 wherein the rings (20, 22) are of the sameconfigurations and the recesses (12, 14) are uniformly distributed aboutthe axis (10), and the elements (16, 18) comprise radially directedmeans (30) for co-acting with the operating means (24).
 6. A game ofpatience according to claim 5 wherein the radially directed means (30)comprise projections which co-act with the operating means (24) by wayof the coupling members (28) which are rotatable about a plurality ofcorresponding radial axes (32, 34, 36).
 7. A game of patience accordingto claim 6 wherein the operating means (24) are adjustable along adirection of the axis (10).
 8. A game of patience according to claim 7wherein the coupling members (28) comprise a plurality of pinions (38)which co-act with a plurality of axially extending tooth racks (40) ofthe operating means (24).
 9. A game of patience according to claim 8wherein the tooth racks (40) having the operating means (24) areadjustable between an active operating position and an inactiveoperating position.
 10. A game of patience according to claim 9 whereina spring loaded pressure ring (46) having recesses (48) co-act with aplurality of engagement projections (50) of the operating means (24).11. A game of patience according to claim 10 wherein the elements (16,18) each have a form of a hemisphere.
 12. A game of patience accordingto claim 11 wherein the respective pairs of elements (16, 18) define ahollow body.
 13. A game of patience according to claim 12 wherein theelements (16, 18) are mounting pins (52, 54) which are radiallydirected, facing away from one another and mounted in the rings (20,22).
 14. A game of patience according to claim 13 wherein the mountingpins (52, 54) are provided between the rings (20, 22).
 15. A game ofpatience according to claim 1 wherein mutually facing sides of the rings(20, 22) are planar and operatively interconnectable.
 16. A game ofpatience according to claim 1 wherein the rings (20, 22) are of the sameconfigurations and the recesses (12, 14) are uniformly distributed aboutthe axis (10), and the elements (16, 18) comprise radially directedmeans (30) for co-acting with the operating means (24).
 17. A game ofpatience according to claim 16 wherein the radially directed means (30)comprise projections which co-act with the operating means (24) by wayof the coupling members (28) which are rotatable about a plurality ofcorresponding radial axes (32, 34, 36).
 18. A game of patience accordingto claim 1 wherein a plurality of coupling members (28) adapted forengagement with at least one pair of the elements (16, 18) comprise aplurality of pinions (38) which co-act with a plurality of axiallyextending tooth racks (40) of the operating means (24).
 19. A game ofpatience according to claim 18 wherein the tooth racks (40) having theoperating means (24) are adjustable between an active operating positionand an inactive operating position.
 20. A game of patience according toclaim 1 wherein a spring loaded pressure ring (46) having recesses (48)co-act with a plurality of engagement projections (50) of the operatingmeans (24).
 21. A game of patience according to claim 1 wherein theelements (16, 18) each have a form of a hemisphere.
 22. A game ofpatience according to claim 1 wherein the respective pairs of elements(16, 18) define a hollow body.
 23. A game of patience comprising: tworings (20, 22) forming two coaxial mutually facing recesses (12, 14)rotatable relative to one another about a common axis (10), the rings(20, 22) having two elements (16, 18) supported within the recesses (12,14), in at least one relative position of the rings (20, 22) two of themutually opposing recesses (12, 14) are aligned with one another andaccommodate a pair of the elements (16, 18), operating means (24) forrotating the elements (16, 18) relative to one another whereby theelements (16, 18) are transferred respectively into the other ring, andthe operating means (24) are adjustable along a direction of the axis(10).
 24. A game of patience comprising: two rings (20, 22) forming twocoaxial mutually facing recesses (12, 14) rotatable relative to oneanother about a common axis (10), the rings (20, 22) having two elements(16, 18) supported within the recesses (12, 14), in at least onerelative position of the rings (20, 22) two of the mutually opposingrecesses (12, 14) are aligned with one another and accommodate a pair ofthe elements (16, 18), operating means (24) for rotating the elements(16, 18) relative to one another whereby the elements (16, 18) aretransferred respectively into the other ring, and the elements (16, 18)are mounting pins (52, 54) which are radially directed, facing away fromone another and mounted in the rings (20, 22).
 25. A game of patienceaccording to claim 24 wherein the mounting pins (52, 54) are providedbetween the rings (20, 22).